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Our opinion: Keeping assessments current

What good is a once-in-30-years countywide property reassessment if it quickly falls out of date? The answer, obviously, is not much. That’s why an idea discussed recently by the Warren County Council of Governments makes a lot of sense and deserves consideration as the reassessment progresses. Brian Bull, chief assessor, told council members information from townships and boroughs isn’t flowing to county assessors - which means new properties aren’t being added to the tax rolls so they can pay county taxes. Demolitions are similarly going unreported - meaning county taxes ...

Our opinion: Don’t wait for next train mishap

In Lower Saucon Township, Pa., residents are awaiting the results of an investigation into yet another Norfolk Southern train derailment March 2. This one involved three trains and scattered rail cars along a riverbank. At least one was partially in the Lehigh River. So far, the National Transportation Safety Board seems confident no hazardous materials were involved when an eastbound Norfolk Southern train struck a stopped Norfolk Southern train, sending wreckage onto an adjacent track that was hit by a westbound Norfolk Southern train. There was a small diesel fuel spill and ...

Our opinion: Business leader a powerful advocate

Erin Willman’s story is well known to most of us here in Warren County. The area native lost her sight at the age of 15 and, after years of struggling to find a good job, started White Cane Coffee at the age of 22. White Cane Coffee now employs 12 employees and 76 affiliate employees across the country. That’s impressive. But even more impressive was Willman’s testimony recently before a U.S. Senate Select Committee on Aging. Sen. Bob Casey, who chairs the committee, called the testimony interesting and informative but also inspiring - in part because of Willman’s ...

Our opinion: Another reminder on alarm batteries

Residents across Pennsylvania lost an hour of sleep on Sunday morning. It was worth it. Spring is just around the corner. Besides moving some clocks ahead one hour — many digital devices do it automatically, there is one more thing area residents need to take care of: changing the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors after changing their clocks. Officials note that when they are functioning, smoke alarms can decrease the risk of dying in a home fire by as much as half. “Smoke alarms are your family’s first line of defense against the dangers of ...

Our opinion: Support animal law a slippery slope

Warren County Planning Commission members’ discussions of how to help a Tidioute family keep goats on their property has been interesting to hear over the past couple of months. As county officials research the matter, one thing is becoming clear - it would be better if the county deals with the issue head-on rather than trying to find a workaround that helps the Tidioute couple while also keeping existing setback requirements in the county’s zoning code. If neighbors aren’t complaining and there is no true health or safety impact, perhaps a one-off use variance is the ...

Our opinion: Farewell to a festival of fun

We bid a fond farewell to the Johnny Appleseed Festival in Sheffield. The three-day festival has taken place for the past 17 years, often featuring competitions between professional lumberjacks and lumberjills as well as food, entertainment, a corn hole tournament, horse and tractor pull, pie baking contest and a wine trail. But, as time went on, there were fewer volunteers and fewer resources to put on a festival that organizers could be proud to host. It was a tough decision, we’re sure, to decide the festival won’t continue. Thumbs up to the volunteers who put so much ...